by Linda Whiting

Created on: November 14, 2009

My mom and dad are coming for Thanksgiving Dinner, Paul said. That is how my first and worst Thanksgiving began; we had spent our first year of marriage living with his family. We had been married a year and a half. Paul's family was close-knit family. They lived a few miles from each other and spent lots of time at each other's house just walked in each other's house. I had always been taught to know before entering. My husband went over to his parent's house or called there every day. Away, this was bad enough, but the family took turns having at dinner at each other's house.

I had not been close to my family. My mom had been young when she had me. She left my dad to go back to my grandparents; although mom was there, she was more of a sister. When she married my step dad I was 7 years old, but I had to go with mom. We moved to Texas from Oklahoma.

My mom and step dad did not have family gatherings. My step dad had no family that was alive and my mom's family was in Oklahoma. I got on my step dad's nerves. He was forties, never been around children, when he married my mom and I came with the package. Then they had their own children and I was just in the way. I went to live with my cousin Liza and a couple of girls when I was 16 years. They were involved in the USO so I went with them.

I met Paul there; it was love at first sight. I was 19 years old and he was 35 years old. He liked my rebellious attitude. We fell in love moved to Oregon to get married, so his parents could be at our wedding.

I overheard his dad say, Why are you marrying her you do not know her.

I love her dad.

You only have known her for a few months. She has an attitude.

They argued for a little bit, but Paul did not say much. I was hurt. I went to our bedroom. Never told Paul I heard him talking to his dad.

Paul's mom pointed out, I did not serve him his meals if we were not setting at the table. I did not like to eat around the TV and this is something they all did. I had been taught the TV goes off and everyone eats at the table. I did not wake him up in the morning, heck I did not even get up with him. She made sure to point this out to me, too. His mom said, In order to be a good wife, I need to get up fix his lunch and send him off to work. I never had anyone get up and fix me breakfast. I had a job and usually was running late.

I was close in age to his nieces and nephews. Therefore, I hung out with them instead of his older brothers and sisters. His brothers and sisters were

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>